This invention relates to a test button secured to a housing with a living hinge such that the housing and test button may be formed integrally from a single, molded member. More particularly, the herein invention concerns a housing formed from a cover portion and a base portion which are connected by a living hinge and are integrally molded and wherein a test button assembly is likewise integrally molded to the cover portion of the housing and is capable of being rotatably displaced into an interior position of the housing upon assembly such that a housing having a test button located therewithin is provided from a single, molded part.
Housings for containing electrical components are used in many appliances, motor vehicles and the like. The typical housing is designed to shield the electrical componentry from any inadvertent contact, to separate the electrical componentry from other portions of the device to prevent inadvertent electrical connections or damage to the electrical components and is utilized to maintain the electrical components in a safe, clean, moisture-reduced environment. Other safety factors such as fire and the potential for noxious emissions may also be considered. Additionally, by providing all the components in a secure housing appropriate electrical connections may be readily made. If the housing secures electrical components for optional features, such housing may readily be either incorporated or not incorporated within a motor vehicle. Typically, the connectors thereto may be designed to be interconnected if the option is not present in the vehicle or, if the option is present, the electrical componentry and the housing are mounted in the vehicle and the connectors are individually connected thereto.
Test buttons are provided relative to housing such that either upon assembly or for repair or test purposes the test button may be manually actuated to ascertain whether or not the electrical componentry is performing as desired. The test button typically involves the actuation of a switch means such as a clicket switch to provide an electrical input to have the circuit perform a test function. Previous devices have used a rotatably mounted switch actuator mounted to extend through the housing such that upon displacement of one end of the actuator the opposite end is rotatably displaced to engage the appropriate switch means. This type of device although effective is more costly because separate parts are required and because of the necessity of assembling a separate switch actuator to the housing.
The herein described housing and test button is formed from a single integral, molded case which includes appropriate living hinges to allow the parts to be rotatably displaced to the assembled position. The test button is mounted to the test button assembly which is rotated to be within the housing with the test button extending upwardly through an opening in the housing such that it may be manually actuated from the exterior of the housing.